Resolute Minds, Or, That New Year's Fic
by hbomba
Summary: Bo and Lauren ring in the new year, putting the past to rest and coming to an agreement about the future.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Resolute Mind (or: That New Year's Fic)

Authors: hbomba & lonejaguar

Rating: M

Summary: Bo and Lauren ring in the new year, putting the past to rest and coming to an agreement about the future.

A/N: This one goes out to Spyklv, a long time supporter who asked so nicely that we had to take notice. I hope you got more than you bargained for!

* * *

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. - Hal Borland

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. - Oprah Winfrey

* * *

Lauren grunted, holding her drink aloft, its contents sloshing over the side as an ogre knocked into her. _Where the hell is Bo?_ It was twenty minutes until the clock would ring in the new year and Bo was MIA. Lauren continued to elbow her way through the boisterous Fae crowd gathered at the Dal. Bo had disappeared on a trip to the washroom an hour ago and they had yet to meet up again.

She couldn't spend New Year's without someone to kiss. Not again. Not when she finally found her plus one. This was supposed to be their big coming out as a couple post-break and all Dark. She had an open deal with the Morrigan and so far Lauren hadn't figured out the catch, if there was one. Bo, on the other hand, was still railing against her Dark Fae status.

During the break, Lauren pondered-really pondered-could she share Bo? Life, as it were, handed her that answer like a swift kick in the rear. While Lauren had been gone, Bo had been spending her time with Dyson and as much as that burned the dear Doctor, she knew Bo still loved her and Lauren reciprocated in every sense of the word.

She spotted Kenzi waving from her perch atop the bar, Hale kissing her knuckles like the prince that he was, and she smiled back. _Kenzi, Kenzi, Kenzi, _she thought. Party planner extraordinaire, Kenzi had somehow convinced Hale to bankroll a Light and Dark New Year's Eve party at the Dal. Everything from dim sum passed hors d'oeuvres to rock you like a hurricane test tube shots.

Lauren sidestepped an angry sprite and an amorous troll-something she could have lived three lifetimes and gone without seeing-and plodded to the bar. A clammy hand was on her arm. She looked at it and then to the hydra it was attached to. "Doc, I've got this rash…"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Lauren said as she peeled the fingers away from her arm. "I'm on holidays. Tell you what, use some talc to calm the itching and I'll see you in the new year." She turned abruptly and took a few desperate steps away from him before he could respond. It had only been a short time but Lauren was somewhat of a celebrity to the Dark. She had left the Light, her on again, off again girlfriend was newly Dark herself and she was crafty, something the Dark really prized.

"Doctor Lewis," Evony almost purred as she stepped in front of Lauren, halting her path to Bo once more.

"Evony," she answered. Lauren had laid it on pretty thick the last time they saw each other and it was apparent that she had not forgotten.

"Where's your date?" The Morrigan asked quasi-innocently.

Lauren didn't buy it and even entertained the idea that Evony could have Bo tied to a chair somewhere, but she just smiled and nodded. "She went to the washroom."

"I hear the line is murder!" Evony chuckled. Lauren just needed Bo to come back so she could start taking the Morrigan with a grain of salt again. "How delightful," the Morrigan said as she lifted a pulled pork petit four from a passing tray. "So tell me, are you settling in?"

She sipped a half empty glass of sauvignon blanc. "Yes, thank you, getting back into the lab has been gratifying."

"Science nerds. All you need to keep them happy is to keep them busy."

Lauren smiled and bowed her head. "I suppose that's true."

"Does Bo keep you busy, Doctor?" The lecherous tone that had crept into Evony's voice was sudden and set Lauren on the defensive.

"I don't think that's very appropriate," Lauren said seriously, setting her empty glass on a passing waiter's tray.

"It's certainly relevant. After all, I let the two of you wander around together helping the Light. It's simply bad form."

"Our deal-" Lauren started.

"Has conditions," the Morrigan warned. "But you may skirt them if you give of yourself."

"I will not be fed upon," Lauren said, scouting an opening to escape the terrible conversation she had found herself in.

"Save that for your Succubus, do you?" Evony ran her tongue along her bottom lip.

"If you'll excuse me." She slipped past Evony and into the masses again. The boisterous chatting and laughing was reaching ear-piercing decibels in the small, packed bar. It was slow going through the crowds, especially when you're stopped every five feet to problem solve ailments. The Dark had long gone without reputable healthcare and Lauren's services became that much more prized. For the first time in her life with the Fae, Lauren began to feel empowered.

* * *

The woman's washroom was packed. Bo had slipped away from Lauren almost half an hour ago and was just finally escaping the cloud of perfume and makeup at the mirror. She breathed in deep when she exited and was immediately stopped by a wall of party goers. Kenzi had really out done herself. She talked for days on end about wanting to throw a party for everyone, Light and Dark, and somehow seemed to manage to draw the entire city.

"Excuse me," Bo said, trying to squeeze her way past a goblin who rushed to the men's washroom next to her. She stood on her toes and tried to see over the sea of Fae that filled the bar. "Shit," Bo sighed and looked left and right. She needed to find Lauren, there was only a half hour until midnight.

"Bo?" The voice made her stop at the entrance to the lounge and she felt a hand on her arm. "Are you Bo?"

"Who's asking?" Bo looked the stranger up and down, appreciating the curve of her hip and thigh.

The woman pulled her over and shook her hand. "I'm Marti, Stonehenge Magazine." Her smile was dazzling. "You are just all the rage in Dark Fae circles," she said. "Unaligned Succubus, finally choosing a side." Her fingers touched the back of Bo's hand and she leaned into her. "And we're so glad you chose us."

Bo frowned at the warmth she felt travel the length of her arm. It wasn't until Marti had whispered in her ear that the familiar sensation finally registered. "Woah," she said, her fingers pushing Marti back a step. "You're a succubus."

Marti smirked. "You're a celebrity," she said. "What was it like on the Death Train? Is it true you saw the Wanderer?"

"Are you kidding?" Bo crossed her arms. "You're coming onto me to get a story?"

"It worked, didn't it?" Marti touched Bo's elbow. "Come on, one thing. Just tell me one thing."

Bo looked over her shoulder into the bar. "I don't remember anything," she said, glancing at the clock. "I have to go, I have to find my girlfriend."

Marti's face lit up. "Doctor Lewis is here?" she said.

"Hey." Bo turned back and pointed at Marti. "Touch her and die." Marti blinked a few times before clasping her hands together in front of her. Bo patted Marti's shoulder. "And it didn't work," she winked. "But don't worry, a little practice and you'll be almost as good as me."

* * *

Lauren stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Bo was nowhere to be seen so she freshened up her make-up before heading back out into the sweaty throng of Fae. There were only a few humans at the party, but she was the only one that was free. The satisfaction and responsibility she felt because of this was overwhelming. She pushed through the mob of people lined up outside the washrooms with purpose and checked her watch. She had ten minutes to find Bo. Ten minutes stood between her picture perfect New Year and the typical disappointing fare Lauren was used to.

"Doc!" Kenzi called from the end of the bar.

Lauren sidled up to the bar next to Kenzi. "Kenzi, have you seen-"

"Bo's dress? Isn't it something else? I helped her pick it out, you know, for you."

"It's great," she had to admit but that got her no closer to where Bo was. "Have you seen her, Kenz?"

"She's around here somewhere, whining about losing you." Kenzi raised her eyebrows expectantly. "She didn't mean that literally, like you're not off again, are you?"

"No," she closed her eyes momentarily and shook her head, "we're good, you know?"

Kenzi re-crossed her legs with flair before she spoke again. "Do I know? Of course, _I _know. My bedroom's above Bo's remember?"

"I just need to find her." She patted the bar-top before being swallowed up by the crowd once again.

* * *

Bo pushed past two burly ogres after a quick glance to the bar and grunted as she finally made it to the open area around the pool tables. The crowd was claustrophobic and she breathed a sigh of relief at the open air. The air escaped her lungs in a huff as soon as she realized why there was a clear circle around the table at the back. Bo rolled her eyes as she watched the Morrigan bend over the edge of the table, reaching across for the perfect shot.

"Like what you see?"

Bo rolled her eyes. "Why does everyone think they just need to flash a little leg for me to do what they want?"

Evony straightened, holding the cue next to her. "Aw," she tsked. "What's wrong, sweetie, lose your puppy?"

Bo stepped close to the Morrigan, their faces nearly touching. "What?" she snapped.

"Easy, Succuhulk," Evony smiled at her. "Just a little New Year's jest." When Bo took a step back, the Morrigan's tone changed. "I might also remind you that until you work out your little problem, your fealty is owed to me. You don't have many chances left."

Bo sighed. "Have you seen her?"

"Oh Doctor Lewis is around here somewhere," Evony replied, resuming her game. "Probably saving some poor sick child out in the alley or something equally nauseating."

The Morrigan was never one to show a softer side. Bo knew there was one there, somewhere, there had to be. Maybe. Bo frowned at Evony and shook her head. Maybe not. She turned then, looking toward the bar and then the fireplace, her eyes straining to see the familiar blonde curls, or the curve of her hip, or even to hear her voice. Bo moved through the crowd toward the fireplace and felt a strong grip on her arm.

"Jesus, what now?" she said as she was pulled aside. "You know, this'd better be good."

"Bo." Dyson smiled at her and sat clumsily in a wingback chair next to the fireplace. He giggled. "Sorry," he said, sitting up and straightening his back. He looked at her then, not hiding the intention behind his eyes. He shook his head and smiled at himself. "You look great," he said, leaning back. "That dress is…"

"Thanks." Bo smiled looking around the tables there. "Have you seen Lauren?"

Dyson took a long drink from the pint glass in front of him. "Not since you came in," he said. He patted the arm of the chair next to him. "Can you sit? I wanted to talk to you."

Bo's shoulders slumped, feeling another time-stealing conversation coming on quickly. Dyson never wanted to talk. "About what?"

"About us." He smiled and Bo closed her eyes. She sat down next to him with a sigh, perched on the edge of the seat. Dyson stared at her, his eyes darting to her hair, her face, her breasts, her legs. He was drunk, she knew, but there was a vulnerability in his expression she'd only seen a few times before.

"Dyson," she started, but he shook his head.

"I don't…" He started and stopped again, then smiled as he covered her hand with his. "I've… really enjoyed spending time with you lately. And when you were in my head… It was weird and intimate."

Bo scoffed. "Tell me about it."

"I'm just glad it was you." He squeezed her hand. "I know we can't… "

Bo bristled. "I keep telling you those rules don't apply to me."

"But they apply to _me_, Bo." Dyson looked at his lap. "And until it gets worked out…" He smiled at her again, but she could tell he was having trouble voicing his thoughts. "But you have Lauren."

"I do." Bo held back the smile and rubbed the back of his hand. "And I have like, five minutes to find her and not screw up the perfect New Year's Eve, can we maybe…" Bo's voice trailed off as she finally spotted her. A vision in a sparkling black dress walking out the front door of the Dal. Bo's jaw dropped. "Oh shit," she said. Dyson watched Bo, her attention stolen as fast as she disappeared into the crowd, rushing for the front door.


	2. Chapter 2

Time was of the essence now, but wasn't it always? She had wasted years of her life but she was done waiting now and committed to not allowing the sands of time slip through her fingers anymore. She doubled back, heading towards the alley. The Camaro was her last hope of finding Bo and she was in the home stretch. She could see the exit sign. Bo had to be out there. There was no other option. She threw back the door to the alley and stepped outside, shivering in her sequined gown. "Bo?" she called. The wind blew through the alley and her heart sank as she heard the crowd began to count down.

"Ten, nine, eight."

Lauren hugged herself.

"Seven, six…"

_This isn't happening_. She had tried so hard to make this year different.

"Five, four, three…" the voices chanted.

Lauren sighed. "Bo."

"Two, one…" A hand wrapped around her bicep and quickly turned her around. Bo flashed a winning smile before covering Lauren's mouth with her own. Lauren leaned into Bo's kiss as the crowd shouted "Happy New Year!"

And for all the dirty looks and human inferiority she sometimes suffered, she was finally there in Bo's arms when it mattered. A holiday whose meaning hadn't been commercialized like Christmas. But instead one about looking over one's life, taking stock and feeling grateful for the blessings that one has. And right now, Lauren was thanking her lucky stars she had ever met Bo. When she broke away from Bo's kiss, she swatted her on the arm with her clutch. "Where did you go?"

"Are you kidding me? I've been crowd surfing looking for you for the past hour. Why is it that you run into everyone except the person you want most?"

Lauren bit her bottom lip and smiled at the Succubus. "Really?"

"Do you really think I needed to spend a chunk of my evening with the Morrigan?"

"Not that part, the other bit." Lauren fingered the necklace around Bo's neck.

Lauren watched as what she had said dawned on Bo. She smiled and gathered Lauren up in her arms. Her lips brushed the whorls of Lauren's ear as she whispered. "We're the power couple of the Fae world, you know."

Lauren liked the sound of that. She had never dated someone like Bo before. Sure, she'd had her share of bad girls, but nobody who compared to Bo. Most bad girls, Lauren found, were missing something that she had been unable to replace, but not Bo. Bo's hometown innocence had left its mark on her, even as she navigated the world of the Dark Fae. Her heart was so big and so noble that some days it was hard to remember that she wasn't unaligned anymore. But Rainer had left his mark on her, as well, literally and figuratively and she was different in small ways that sometimes added up to big, scary ways. Bo had become brash in how she wielded her power. Her moral compass, however, had stayed true. And beyond the feeds, Lauren knew that Bo loved her. A love like theirs was a powerful thing, demanding as much as it gave on any given day.

Today, it gave and when she thought she'd seen its apex, it gave some more. Lauren was nearly destroyed by how much she loved Bo in that moment. A blast of warm air blew on them from the open door. Lauren enjoyed the momentarily reprieve from the cold. Her little black dress was not cutting it in the sub-zero temperatures and she shivered.

"I don't know about you, but I need some champagne," Bo smiled guiding her inside. Bo's hand pulled her through the unrelenting crowd, towards the bar, where all the action was happening. Her red dress flowed as they passed through the masses and Lauren couldn't help but to appreciate the sway of her hips and the curve of her ass as they went. Trays of champagne in cheap plastic glasses lined the bar. Kenzi was having a rather passionate conversation with Hale about whether or not mixed nuts would take the ambience down a notch and Lauren found herself agreeing with the younger woman as Bo passed her a plastic champagne flute. The bubbles tickled her nose as she sipped the champagne. Bo's eyes sparkled in the low light. The Succubus in her natural habitat was a beautiful thing. They would work the crowd together, this time Lauren really feeling like one half of the power couple Bo had described earlier.

"You're both here, perfect," came a voice behind them.

Lauren looked over her shoulder and Bo turned. "You again?" She glanced at Lauren, who threw Bo a confused look.

Marti held her purse in her hands and she smiled, taking a long look at Lauren. "You must be Doctor Lewis," she said. "You're even more beautiful in person."

Lauren smiled and finished her champagne with a nod. "You're too kind," she said, extending her hand. When Marti took a step forward with an outstretched hand, the blue flash in her eye betrayed her. Lauren raised her eyebrows and glanced back at Bo in the same moment that Bo took a step between them, stopping Marti short with a hand to her chest.

"I don't think so," Bo said, her own eyes flashing.

"Aw," Marti pouted, taking a step back. "Are you sure?" she asked, looking around Bo. She eyed Lauren and wet her lips. "Because that'd be one sexy sandwich."

Bo grabbed the necklace around Marti's neck and yanked her forward with a growl. "No means no, sweetie. And if I see you anywhere near Doctor Lewis, I'll break every one of your fingers. Twice."

Marti pulled away from Bo with a frown and adjusted her dress. "Fine," she said. "Do you know the money you could have made from a cover article in Stonehenge? Book deals, movie deals, big Fae dollar." She shook her head. "I thought you were Dark." Marti turned and scoffed over her shoulder. "Let me know if you ever want to… share, Bo."

Bo watched Marti leave, following her until she couldn't sense her anymore. "What a bitch." An arm snaked around hers and she looked to her side.

"My hero," Lauren smirked up at her, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Hero my ass!" Kenzi exclaimed, hopping down from the bar. "You gave up a _movie_ deal? We could have bought a house, or a new car, or… some new boots for Kenzi?"

"You're such a giver," Bo rolled her eyes.

"Alright, alright," Kenzi waved her arms. "We have to liven this joint up a bit. Trick said something about a karaoke machine." She elbowed Bo and leaned into her ear. "Think Lauren would sing?"

"Kenzi!" Bo whispered, looking at Lauren. She hadn't told her about what she saw in Dyson's memories and wasn't quite sure if she ever would. So she smiled instead, the only thing she knew would distract her. "Come now, Doctor," She threaded her fingers with Lauren's. "Let's find somewhere we can be alone." She pulled her into the masses once again, but it was a relatively short trek to the archaic entrance to Trick's inner sanctum.

Lauren stopped all forward momentum and tugged Bo back. "We can't go down there."

"Sure we can. Trick's going to be tending bar until four a.m. We've got all the time in the world." Lauren considered the party that raged on and the comfortable quiet that beckoned them from below before loosening her posture and letting Bo lead her into Trick's parlor room. The Casbah vibe was oppressive. Trick had clearly not had a decorator in the past century. The built-in sofas were a nice touch as was the wet bar, and when Bo spun around in her arms she had nothing to complain about. "See?" she grinned, her hands traveling to Lauren's hips. "The whole place to ourselves."

Lauren couldn't help leaning into Bo's body. "Did you have plans?" she asked, capturing the edge of Bo's ear between her lips. She felt Bo's fingers flex through her dress.

"Oh… Lauren," Bo chuckled, burying her face in her hair. She moved Lauren to the side, pushing her against the aged stone wall a few feet from the door. "With you," she started, peeling the thin straps from her shoulders. "I always have plans."

When she closed her eyes, the smells of spice, old wood, and leather bound books transported back to a time she didn't live through. One that she only experienced during her time with the Fae. But the trail of fire that Bo's lips left from her neck, to her shoulders, to her chest and throat kept her in the present, barely forgetting she was in Trick's living room. The champagne may have had something to do with that.

"Bo…" she started, quickly forgetting what she was going to say. Bo teased Lauren's mouth with her own, kissing and nipping at her lips until Lauren held her face still, crushing their mouths together. Her hips pushed into Bo that kept her solidly pinned against the stone; she felt Bo's fingers pull at the fabric of her dress, collecting it against her thigh as it exposed her leg.

"You look amazing," Bo whispered into their kiss. When the hem reached her hand, Bo moved under the fabric and lifted Lauren's knee to her hip, her fingers sliding along the back of her thigh. Lauren held Bo against her, pushing a hand into Bo's hair, her lips at her throat. She barely heard the ubiquitous click of a camera and had she not opened her eyes to the wooden beams, Lauren would have missed the flash, too. Lauren turned her head to find Marti admiring the shot on her phone. Lauren lowered her leg and tapped Bo's arm. When Bo looked at her, she nodded toward their audience.

"You two…" she said, shaking her head. "You _are_ the hottest Dark couple."

Bo's eyes flashed, but she didn't let go of Lauren. "You gotta lot of nerve," she growled.

"Oh don't worry." Marti smiled at them both, her bottom lip between her teeth. She waved the phone before tucking it in her purse. "This is for my private collection." Marti winked and turned back up the stairs.

Bo made a move to follow the other succubus, but only managed a step before she felt Lauren's hand on her arm. "Let her go," she said calmly. "And get back here."

Bo groaned, pressing her forehead into Lauren's chest. "I don't like her."

"Mmhmm." Lauren lifted Bo's chin and brushed their lips together. "But she's gone now."

"But I like you." Bo's lips curled into a devilish smile and Lauren could tell she appreciated the refocus. She kissed at Lauren's throat and she sighed, her head falling to the side. Her fingers found the pull of the zipper and coaxed it down Lauren's back as she kissed her way along her jaw.

Lauren smiled as Bo pulled the dress from her arms and let it drop into a pool of fabric at their feet. She watched Bo search her body, her hands squeezing her hips as if preparing for a test, until the flare of blue in her eyes made her smile. Lauren redirected Bo from her chest to her mouth and kissed her, her skin feeling every brush with Bo's dress. Bo wrapped her arms around her, leading her carefully around the sofa and coffee tables to the alcove carved out of the stone wall. Her kiss was soft, but insistent, backing Lauren up to the ledge of built in couch until she lowered herself to the cushions. Bo grinned and crawled over her, her eyes falling to Lauren's mouth before she covered it with her own.

The party was still going strong above their heads, a strange modern twist to their surroundings. The thump in the floor mimicked the one in Lauren's chest when Bo backed off and stood in front of her. Lauren swallowed at the sight, her eyes glued to long fingers exposing thighs, hips, and the swell of breasts and the breath she didn't know she was holding escaped her lungs. Bo dropped the dress an arm's length away, the satisfied smirk on her face was telling. Lauren didn't stand a chance when it came to Bo. She scooted back when Bo moved toward her again, kneeling across her lap on the seat cushion. Lauren smiled up at her, feeling the bass in her stomach now, pulling Bo into a kiss. She couldn't tell if it was because they were directly under a speaker, or nestled into the wall, but the vibration that coursed through her with near the same intensity as her arousal, magnifying the sensations.

It had been a long time since they'd been able to be alone together. And these days, alone generally meant aside from a crowd of others in the next room, but she'd take it. If there was one thing Lauren had learned from the Fae it was to strike while the iron was hot because there were no guarantees. This time, Lauren knew to take full advantage. Bo settled across Lauren's thigh, and pressed her into the pillows against the wall behind them. They still hadn't cleared the air between them, but both seemed happy to ignore the situation in favor of enjoying each other's company on a night where being alone stung just that much more. With Bo's face in her hands, Lauren took a moment to study her features before she lifted away from the wall behind her, pressing their lips together.

The tenderness that had began their exchange now gained momentum as Bo took control. She didn't waste any time in exploring Lauren's body in the small space, moving quickly and without warning, paying special attention to one area and not another. It was sexual chaos for Lauren, the unpredictability, but it was a chaos she had learned to love. Bo's hands ran down Lauren's sides and around her back as she arched into her. She swayed when Bo covered a breast with her mouth and Bo held her upright, her hands splayed across her shoulders. When Lauren's hips moved, she trailed a hand to her lap, smoothing over anxious skin. Lauren watched Bo track her own movements and she sucked in a breath at the contact. It was a sensational overload. And as Bo sunk into her, Lauren arched against her. Bo smiled as she steadied her, kissing Lauren's chest and shoulder as her hips moved against her. Lauren took Bo's earlobe in her mouth, whispering in her ear with a soft groan and spurred her on.

Bo's eyes flashed again as they started to move against each other. The music mirrored their intensity, pumping through the floor, into the stone and through their bodies. Lauren was lost to Bo and the sweat on her skin, the breath in her ear, the heat against her hips, and the pressure between her legs. They clung to each other, breath coming short, moving together frantically, and Lauren could swear she could hear the release build in Bo's voice each time she shifted. Lauren encouraged her until she couldn't find her voice in the blanket of arousal, except to repeat Lauren's name like a mantra. Bo braced herself with a hand on the stone wall behind Lauren and a moment later they were awash in the sweet strains of orgasm flooding Bo's body a second before Lauren's, their voices muffled by the music above. Lauren clung to Bo as she rode out the waves, hot breath warming her shoulder, the sound a veritable symphony to their ears.

Watching Bo come down from her high, Lauren wrapped her arms around her and kissed her face. Her body vibrated, as if primed for another round. The smirk on Bo's face told her she could tell Lauren wanted more, but the sound of footfalls on the stairs halted any afterglow.

"Bo?" Trick's voice echoed down the stairwell until they heard his feet on the first few wooden treads. "Bo are you down there?"

Lauren covered Bo's mouth with her hand and shook her head, craning her neck to look around Bo's shoulder. She could barely see his feet on the stairs from across the room and she swallowed nervously, silently begging him not to come down into the lair any further lest they be on full display.

Trick sighed finally. "Where the hell did she go?" he asked no one in particular. Hollow footsteps faded as Trick made his way back to the party upstairs and it wasn't until she heard the wooden door at the top of the stairs that Lauren's hand fell to Bo's shoulder and slid down her arm.

"That was close," she exhaled in relief. Bo hummed in agreement and pushed Lauren back against the pillows, each hand pressing against the wall on either side of her head. Lauren smirked up at Bo, hidden by her long hair. "What are you doing?" she asked, smoothing her hands over Bo's hips.

"I'm not quite done with you yet," Bo murmured into Lauren's skin. "And I think we've just been given the gift of a second round."

"Bo…" Lauren's chuckle turned into a gasp as Bo nipped at her ear.

When she lifted her head again, Bo bit her bottom lip, smiling. "So did we do it?" she asked, kissing along an imaginary line across Lauren's chest and around her breasts. "Was your perfect New Year's Eve achieved?"

She didn't have the heart to complain about spending half her night looking for Bo so instead she grinned. "So far, so good," Lauren replied. "The night's still young."

* * *

It was hours later when they emerged from the depths of the Dal, fallen confetti decorated the now empty floors, abandoned noisemakers taking up every inch of table space. The stereo still played on, though at a decibel that was likely set by Trick as soon as the last of the obnoxious crowds had all gone home. Kenzi sat counting the night's haul at the end of the bar with Hale, who nursed a pint of beer.

"Well, well, well," she said, licking her thumb without looking up. "If ain't the belles of the ball." She stacked a handful of bills and started counting another. "Where'd you run off to?"

Lauren looked back at Bo. "The line to washroom was ridiculous," Bo said casually, Lauren averting her eyes. Kenzi nodded and smiled knowingly. Leaning into Kenzi's space, Bo asked: "How'd you do?"

Kenzi cracked her knuckles and grinned. "Five g's from the door and Trickster is counting the bar's haul in the office. You know this whole going Dark thing is just the thing my pocketbook needed."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it."

Kenzi tsked at Bo and tied an elastic around the stack of bills. "So quick to judge," she said. "Who's to say we can't throw an unaligned party?"

"Isn't that kinda what we did?"

"What about you, Doc? I say Dark looks good on you."

"I gotta agree with that one," Hale interjected from the end of the bar. Kenzi sat next to him, stretching over the bar to a bottle of tequila on the other side. "Doc, I don't want you to take this the wrong way," he started, polishing off his beer. "But that dress is _smokin._" Kenzi scoffed and slapped Hale's arm. "Hey! What? I'm paying the lady a compliment." He slid off the stool he was sitting on and sauntered past Lauren with a smile.

Lauren smirked. "Thanks, Hale, that's very nice of you."

"I'm going to have to keep you under lock and key, aren't I?" Bo said, wrapping an arm around Lauren's waist and kissing her shoulder.

Kenzi nodded at the money in her hands. "Didn't think Lauren was into that."

"Let it go, Kenzi," Bo warned.

"Jeez, you sure are crabby for someone who just came topside after hours down below if you know what I mean."

"I think everyone here knows what you mean," she said.

"Hoo hoo!" Hale's voice called from the door, snow blowing in. He shut it firmly and walked back towards the bar, holding up the morning edition of the Herald, the Fae newspaper. "Speaking of smokin…" He grinned and shook his head. "Wow." The picture was the same one Marti took of them in Trick's lair under the headline Ringing in the New Year Right.

"Woah!" Kenzi exclaimed, snatching the paper from his hands. Hale craned his neck over Kenzi's shoulder. "Good gravy, Doc, lookit those gams!" She whistled her approval at Lauren who's red face was obscured by her hand.

"Newly pledged, former Light Fae human doctor and the formerly unaligned Succubus ring in the new year in a quiet and cozy corner of The Dal. The pair were the talk of the town going into this year's bash and did not disappoint the masses with their presence," Kenzi read aloud. "Hey, wait a second…" Kenzi studied the paper and gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth. She looked at Bo with wide eyes and pointed at the picture. "This is… you had…"

Bo snatched the front page away from Kenzi. "Not helping."

Kenzi shook her head. "Going dark sure has had its effect on your mood, Succy-face."

"It's only a technicality. Once I figure out how to undo whatever he did to me, I'll be back to my cheery old self."

"Yeah, well maybe you need a do-over down below in the meantime, eh, Doc?"

Lauren sighed and lowered her head in the most dignified manner she could manage.

"They say the only bad press is no press at all," Bo smiled. She looked at the photograph, it was a good likeness, capturing her good side and Lauren, who's leg stretched up Bo's side, in a perfect Kodak moment. Bo folded the paper and turned it over in her hands. "And that's my cue to get the hell outta here before Trick finds another copy of this paper."

Kenzi's hands formed an imaginary marquee. "Light Fae leader's Dark granddaughter caught canoodling with the human doctor," she said salaciously.

"Still not helping." Bo pushed away from the bar and gathered Lauren's coat with hers from the coat closet. Helping Lauren on with her coat before slipping into her own, Bo ruffled Kenzi's hair. "See you later?"

"You know it."

* * *

They sat in the Camaro as the engine warmed up, the air vents blowing cold air at Lauren. She shivered. Bo gripped the steering wheel. "Where to?"

Bo was giving Lauren the out. They hadn't spoken of all the things that weighed them down since being reunited by the Morrigan. They had only the most basic of conversations since their coupling having met at the Dal and stumbled into bed at the Clubhouse on more than one occasion. But they never dared to speak about things left unsaid. The break, Taft, what happened while she was hiding out from the Una Mens, the death train, Dyson, what Bo had done in Lauren's absence. It amounted to back story and they treated it as such, choosing then to focus on their urges. Falling into bed together was a comfortable occupation for them both. That's not to say they didn't love each other, on the contrary, it was a crippling, overwhelming love that neither could shake off, despite Dyson, despite Crystal.

"My place," Lauren said and she could see how deflated her response had made Bo.

Bo drove into Dark territory, across the city, to Lauren's new apartment building. She parked in front of the building as the rising sun reflected in its windows. The neighborhood was high-end: wrought iron railings, gaslight inspired street lamps with wreaths that hung on each one. Even the sidewalks were clear of ice and snow. It was perfectly Lauren.

"This is a nice spot." Bo looked out the windshield before glancing at Lauren with an awkward smile. "Much better than an abandoned warehouse under a bridge, huh?"

"Bo…"

"It's okay." Bo looked at Lauren, the sequins on her dress still just as distracting as they were hours ago. "I would have done the same thing."

"Will you come up?" The question was surprising. Bo was sure she wasn't worth it after the last conversation they'd shared. Lauren had been clear with her decision and it didn't seem to involve Bo the way she thought it would. So she blinked again when Lauren touched her arm. "Please."

"What are we doing, Lauren?"

Lauren looked at her hands, red from the cold. "I don't know," she sighed.

"Tell me what to do, I'll do it. Anything."

"Bo…" she said with a sad intonation. "I need to make my own way and you need to make yours."

"I don't accept that. It can't be all or nothing. I love you and I gotta believe that's enough."

Lauren nodded at the dashboard. "I love you, too."

"So why isn't that enough?"

"Bo, you don't see-"

"Let me tell you what I see," Bo interrupted, shifting in the driver's seat. "I see a beautiful woman who, for whatever reason, hurts. She'd do anything to heal anyone, Light, Dark, human, Fae, anyone but herself. And I see a ravishing succubus…" Bo smirked when she saw Lauren's lips quirk into a lopsided smile. "Who loves her. Above all else." She took Lauren's hand in hers, noting the condensation start to build on the Camaro's windows. "I don't understand why we can't make our ways together, Lauren."

"Because it doesn't work like that, it never…" Lauren sighed. "It never works out the way you want it to."

"How do you know that? Did you break the time… and space… continue-thing? When you were gone?"

Lauren stifled a smile. "Continuum. And no, not yet."

"So?"

"Bo, I'm human."

Bo rolled her eyes. "I know," she replied. "Kenzi knows, Trick knows, hell half of the Fae know thanks to this paper. It doesn't matter."

"It does matter, Bo, you're a Succubus."

"Lauren, I could sleep with a hundred people…" Lauren laughed nervously at the roof of the car. "But if one of them isn't you, then I've still lost." The sudden silence was deafening and Bo could swear she could hear the snow falling on the car. "I want _you_, Lauren. I love _you_."

Bo wasn't expecting Lauren to lean across the gear shift, pulling her into a kiss. One filled with unending questions and unfaltering answers, of escape and comfort. It was a kiss of monumental importance and it was not lost on Bo.

Lauren cradled her face in her hands. "Come upstairs with me."

Bo hung her head and looked away. "What good would that do?"

"I want you in my life, Bo, whatever that looks like." The heat in Bo's sideways glance betrayed her to Lauren. "Come up, I'll show you around, just don't leave it like this."

The back of Lauren's hand brushed against her cheek, Bo blinked, her hand coming to rest on the key in the ignition as she shut the engine off. Everything else be damned, they had each other and no amount of over-thinking was going to undo that. Not today. Not with a new year yawning in front of them. The past was over and done and it really didn't matter much to either one of them. They had both spent long enough running, forgetting and hiding from all the things that that made them who they were today. It wasn't a time to be ashamed or afraid, not this year. This year would be different. Dark or Light or free, Lauren knew who she was and she knew who she loved. Bo. And that transcended any alignment the Una Mens could label them with. She was Lauren Lewis and this year was her year.

* * *

Fin.


End file.
